It is always highly recommended to use the most current release of any software tool – as is the case with ExtendSim. Current releases take advantage of hardware and software advances and interact more appropriately with other new software packages. Plus, the current release of ExtendSim 10 can run models that were built in ExtendSim 9, 8, and 7.

However, there are reasons you might need to use a legacy ExtendSim product:

If ExtendSim 10 has not yet been approved for use by your company or organization.

Your collaboration team is still using ExtendSim 9 and you are working towards transitioning them to 10.

You are a student and your course materials use ExtendSim 9. (Many professors will not be updating their materials until Fall semester 2019.)

ExtendSim 10 was released October 2018, relegating ExtendSim 9 to legacy status. The final update of ExtendSim 9 was 9.3 on June 25, 2019 and there will be no further ExtendSim 9 updates. We will continue selling ExtendSim 9 through 2019 but it is no longer supported and we cannot guarantee that it will run on future operating systems based on unforeseen OS modifications.

If you would still like to purchase this legacy software, please choose the package you wish to purchase:

"A single identified individual (the “Authorized User”) may use the Software. The Software may be used by the Authorized User only for the Company’s own internal business purposes or for your own personal use (if you are an individual), as applicable. Shared use, use by more than one individual, or use over a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), or the internet is prohibited under this License Option."

This means you are permitted one activation of your ExtendSim license for your own use. You may move your license from one of your computers to another at any time. But will have to deactivate ExtendSim on the first computer before it can be activated on a second as ExtendSim will not permit an additional activation. See Moving ExtendSim from one computer to another.

Within the first 30 days of purchase, registered users are entitled to 100% trade-in credit for each Individual license converted to a station on a comparable or higher Floating license product.

If it has been more than 30 days since purchase, registered users with a current license are entitled to 75% trade-in credit for each Individual license converted to a station on a comparable or higher Floating license product.

If you are using a version prior to the current version, the trade-in credit will be reduced by the price of the upgrade.

Downloaded software cannot be returned. An Activation Key is provided, but no physical product is shipped so there is nothing to be returned. Imagine That Inc. offers a complimentary 30-day trial of ExtendSim for evaluation. It is assumed that the buyer has reviewed his/her product of choice and is completely satisfied with its quality before effecting actual purchase of said product. If you have not taken advantage of the Trial version, please do so before purchasing any of our products. With knowledge of the above, no refund/return request should be solicited by the buyer/user on such basis.

We could set up dozens of matrixes and comparative documents that boast about how awesome ExtendSim is and slant the results in our favor since we would be 'authoring the study'. But that's not right as your needs are vastly different than most others. We are happy to give you guidance about how ExtendSim is designed and how it would handle the various challenges you could put it up against. But in the end, you are the best determinant of which tool would best suit your particular needs.

So, ask us questions - any question - and we're happy to tell you how ExtendSim works. If you want to know how it is as compared to other packages, we could provide you with our personal opinions, but it's probably best to ask those that have used multiple packages in their modeling careers. Check out what other simulationists are saying in the ExtendSim Exchange.

The application gurus at Imagine That Inc. are hard at work on the Mac version of ExtendSim 10 right now. It should be just like the Windows version, but able to run natively on a Mac. And you will be able to exchange your ExtendSim models back and forth with colleagues between the 2 operating systems. We don't have a specific date when ExtendSim for Mac will be ready, but we will keep you updated.

What are my options today?

Run the Windows version of ExtendSim on your Mac, but in the Windows operating system. To do this, you need to obtain the Windows operating system and an emulator. You can use Boot Camp Assistant (installed with the Mac operating system in the Utilities folder under Applications). Or install the emulation software Parallels (www.parallels.com). During installation, Parallels will request the Windows operating system installer to complete the process. Once the installation is complete, you can install the Windows version of ExtendSim.

Run the Windows version of ExtendSim on a Windows computer.

Do earlier versions of ExtendSim for Macintosh run on current Mac systems?

Legacy versions of ExtendSim (8 and earlier) did have versions that would run on Macs, but they will NOT run on current Macintosh operating systems OS X 10.7+. Legacy versions of ExtendSim for Macintosh can run on Mac OS X 10.6.8 and earlier. If you are using a Macintosh with OS X 10.7 or newer, use the Windows version of ExtendSim running in Parallels or BootCamp.

Enjoy it for 30 days from the date you first launch ExtendSim. Once you reach the end of that month – if you haven’t already purchased the product – that free Trial period will end. All the model files and blocks you created during that Trial period will still be yours, but ExtendSim will no longer launch on your system. However, you will still have access to the Activation dialog where you can purchase and/or activate ExtendSim.

When you first launch the Trial version of ExtendSim, you have 30 days to try it out. Once you reach the end of that month – if you haven’t already purchased the product – that free Trial period will end. All the model files and blocks you created during the Trial period will still be yours, but ExtendSim will no longer launch on your system.

If you try to download and install another Trial version to get another 30 days, it won't work. Your system will only allow one free trial period.

Absolutely! All the model files and blocks you create during your 30-day Trial period will seamlessly open in the comparable Model Developer Edition...Individual, Node-Locked, or Floating ExtendSim license. (Just be aware that if you build a model in a more feature-filled package like ExtendSim Pro, your model will not open properly in DE or CP if you have used blocks from the Reliability or Rate module in that model.)

And, once you activate your license, you'll notice the Trial version watermark on the model worksheet will disappear.

Please note, if you build a model in a Trial version and share it with someone who has a Student version of ExtendSim, they will not be able to open your model. Student versions can only open models built in an activated MDE license or from another Student version.

Yes. As long as the model you want to run was built in a Model Developer Edition of ExtendSim, you will be able to run it in Trial mode. (Just be aware that when running models in the Trial version, models open with a Trial version watermark behind the model on its worksheet.)

Please make sure you are using the same ExtendSim package the model developer used to create the model. For example, if your colleague built a model using ExtendSim Pro, you would need to be using the Trial version of ExtendSim Pro, not DE or CP as they may not have the proper components to run the model.

No. It is identical to a Model Developer Edition of ExtendSim with the exception of two things:

ExtendSim will only launch for 30 days in Trial mode. After that, it must be activated to a fully licensed version.

When you open or build models in Trial mode, you will see a Trial version watermark behind each model. This watermark gets saved with the model. To get rid of the watermark, activate your ExtendSim license and re-save the model.

Your device has an internet connection, but you get an error message indicating that activation cannot be completed. Security features in Windows operating systems (especially since Windows 10), and virus protection applications in general, can sometimes interfere. Try temporarily turning off virus protection on your computer to allow ExtendSim through the firewall:

Paste your model files, etc. from the previous device to the new installation of ExtendSim.

Launch ExtendSim on the new device and activate it using the same Activation Key you used for the first installation. (If you can't deactivate ExtendSim on the previous device, you will get an error message stating your Activation Key is already in use on another device. In this case, contact Imagine That Inc.)

2. Temporarily disable your virus protection software while activating the license or installing ExtendSim. Note that for Windows 10, Windows Defender acts as an anti-virus system as discussed below.

Some specific issues to be aware of include:

If you get a ComponentTransferData error when trying to install ExtendSim, it is usually because your security system is balking at ExtendSim trying to register the DLLs. Try running the installer as Administrator. Or temporarily turn off your anti-virus software, install ExtendSim, then turn the anti-virus app back on. Note that for Windows 10, the Windows Defender Security Center is part of the security system so you may need to change its settings.

If ExtendSim crashes on launch with Unknown message or crashes when placing a block in a new model with the Unknown block message, it is probably due to Windows DEP (Data Execution Prevention). DEP can interpret the ExtendSim compiler as malicious data, rather than legitimate code, and stop ExtendSim from properly running. A solution is to add ExtendSim to the list of programs that allow for Data Execution. Contact Imagine That Inc. for information on how to do that.

In addition to any installed virus protection apps, Windows 10 installs with a Windows Defender Security Center that has virus, threat, account, firewall, and network protection. So even if you have temporarily disabled your virus protection app, the Security Center could be blocking automatic license activation or the installation or launching of ExtendSim. You might need to change the settings or allow the ExtendSim installer to be excluded in the Windows Defender Security.

Absolutely. Contact Imagine That Inc. and let us know which date works best for your team to renew your ExtendSim licenses. We can synchronize the renewal dates of your licenses to reflect a common MSP start and end date, regardless of when each product was first activated. Prorated charges will apply. We'd be happy to work up a quote for you.

The annual Maintenance & Support Plan (MSP) is renewable one year from date of purchase (or on your pre-established renewal date) and each year thereafter. How to renew depends on the type of license you own and how you want to pay:

Individual & Analysis RunTime licenses

Credit card renewal -- Click on the icon below of the ExtendSim package you own to be taken to the ExtendSim Store.

No. You will keep the same activation key for your ExtendSim 10 license. Renewal is managed and updated through the Reprise License Manager (RLM). After renewing your MSP, we update RLM with your new renewal date. The next time you launch ExtendSim, the software reaches out to the RLM server and acquires the new renewal date.

If your computer is not connected to the internet, let us know when you rewew your MSP. We can send you a license file that you can use to manually update the renewal date of your software.

Depends on the type of models you're building. If you're building discrete event models, upgrade to ExtendSim DE. If you are using the blocks from the Rate library in your models or want to use the new Reliability components, upgrade to ExtendSim Pro.

ExtendSim 10 is upwardly compatible and will read in models built in legacy ExtendSim versions 9, 8, and 7.

If you created a custom library in a legacy version, before opening the model using the custom libraries, open the custom library. Go to Library > Library Tools > Compile Libraries... Select your custom library and click Compile Selected Libraries. This will recompile the library creating an ExtendSim 10 library with a .lbr extension. Then, open the model in ES10.

You cannot copy objects in models (graphics, text, hierarchical blocks, databases, etc.) from release 9 or earlier directly into ExtendSim 10. Instead you must open the model file in ES 10. Then, ExtendSim will convert it to an ExtendSim 10 file.

When upgrading an ExtendSim 9 Network license to an ExtendSim 10 Floating license, there are special considerations to take into account so you can have a complete and successful transition to ExtendSim 10.

Unlike earlier upgrades, ExtendSim 10 is a complete rewrite of the ExtendSim product. Therefore, we expect that customers who upgrade from releases prior to ExtendSim 10 might need additional time to convert their models and libraries to the new format.

As stated in Installing & Activating • Floating Licenses, you may keep the Network license of ExtendSim 9 and its upgrade, the Floating license of ExtendSim 10, installed and running simultaneously for an up to a six (6) month transition period after the Floating license of ExtendSim 10 has been activated.

We understand and accept that the simultaneous installation of both releases might result in ExtendSim being used by more than the authorized maximum number of concurrent users; we hold you harmless if that occurs during the transition period.

If you need an extension on the transition period, contact us prior to the expiration date.

Choose About ExtendSim under the Help menu to open the ExtendSim start up screen. The bar at the top shows you which ExtendSim release you are using. If it does not say ExtendSim 10.0.5, you should download the most current release.

Install the Trial version OVER the current installation using the same name and installing to the same location as the current installation. This updates ExtendSim without affecting the license file or requiring that the License Manager be reactivated. When you restart ExtendSim, you will be running 10.0.5.

Note: If you subsequently launch ExtendSim and get a message that the license has not been activated, it means that you have not installed over the current installation but in fact have two installations of ExtendSim. Uninstall the update and reinstall it so that it replaces the files at the current location.

Updating from ExtendSim Student or Analysis RunTime 10.0.3, 10.0.2, 10.0.1, or 10.0.0...If you are using ExtendSim Student or Analysis RunTime released prior to 10.0.4, contact Imagine That Inc. to obtain the newer release.

How you update your license depends on which product and release you are currently using. Choose About ExtendSim under the Help menu to open the ExtendSim start up screen. The bar at the top shows you which ExtendSim release you are using. If it does not say ExtendSim 10.0.5, you should download the most current release.

Install the Trial version OVER the current installation using the same name and installing to the same location as the current installation. This updates ExtendSim without affecting the license file or requiring that the License Manager be reactivated. When you restart ExtendSim, you will be running 10.0.5.

Note: If you subsequently launch ExtendSim and get a message that the license has not been activated, it means that you have not installed over the current installation but in fact have two installations of ExtendSim. Uninstall the update and reinstall it so that it replaces the files at the current location.

Updating from ExtendSim Student or Analysis RunTime 10.0.3, 10.0.2, 10.0.1, or 10.0.0...If you are using ExtendSim Student or Analysis RunTime released prior to 10.0.4, contact Imagine That Inc. to obtain the newer release.

1. The renewal date for your license’s Maintenance and Support Plan (MSP) is shown on the ExtendSim startup screen (Help > About ExtendSim). Prior to the renewal date, the application will occasionally present a reminder message upon launch.

3. After renewing the MSP, your license file (extendsim.lic) will need to be updated and reactivated. After we notify you that the change has been made and the license has been updated, you will need to reactivate your license. See the document titled Reactivating • Individual Licenses for more details.

Paste your model files, etc. from the previous device to the new installation of ExtendSim.

Launch ExtendSim on the new device and activate it using the same Activation Key you used for your initial installation. (If for some reason you weren’t able to deactivate ExtendSim on the previous device, you will get an error message stating your Activation Key is already in use on another device. In this case, contact Imagine That Inc.)

Yes. Be sure the virtual machine has the correct permissions so that ExtendSim can be installed without security issues and that the location where user-modifiable files will be installed has read-write access so the license file can be read and end-users can open, run, and save models.

Installing the extendsim.lic file on the Client device broadcasts to automatically find the Server. If it can’t find the Server, it asks you to enter Server info (URL or computer name, etc.). It saves that location info in a host.lic file on the customer’s device so it doesn’t ask again.

How you update your license depends on which product and release you are currently using. Choose About ExtendSim under the Help menu to open the ExtendSim start up screen. The bar at the top shows you which ExtendSim release you are using. If it does not say ExtendSim 10.0.5, you should download the most current release.

Install the Trial version OVER the current installation using the same name and installing to the same location as the current installation. This updates ExtendSim without affecting the license file or requiring that the License Manager be reactivated. When you restart ExtendSim, you will be running 10.0.5.

Note: If you subsequently launch ExtendSim and get a message that the license has not been activated, it means that you have not installed over the current installation but in fact have two installations of ExtendSim. Uninstall the update and reinstall it so that it replaces the files at the current location.

Updating from ExtendSim Student or Analysis RunTime 10.0.3, 10.0.2, 10.0.1, or 10.0.0...If you are using ExtendSim Student or Analysis RunTime released prior to 10.0.4, contact Imagine That Inc. to obtain the newer release.

The renewal date for the Floating License’s Maintenance and Support Plan (MSP) is shown on the ExtendSim startup screen (Help > About ExtendSim). Prior to the renewal date, the application will occasionally present a reminder message upon launch.

1. First, return the license if it has been temporarily checked out from the network. Connect the client computer to the server that hosts the License Manager. Use the command Help > Floating License > Check In a Floating License. This restores the number of concurrent users the server allows.

2. Then, use the Windows Settings > Apps and Features to uninstall ExtendSim 10.

3. Then delete the two folders: Documents/ExtendSim and Program Files/ExtendSim.

In the list that appears, double-click Services and Applications, then double-click Services.

In the list that appears, scroll to ExtendSimLicServer and verify it is Running.

If it is not running, you may need to install the License Manager with Administrative privileges, temporarily disable virus protection and other security features before installing it, or unblock the ISV port.

You can edit the license to use a different port than the default port (5053). However, how you do that depends on your situation:

If you received the extendsim.lic file while doing a manual activation but haven't resumed the activation process, directly change the port number in the file and save that change before proceeding. Then complete the activation procedure. Be sure to give the updated extendsim.lic to each Client.

If you have already finished the process of activating the License Manager, you must edit your existing extendsim.lic file using the RLSA window.

2. On the left side of the RLSA window, click the Edit License Files command. (Note: The License File to Edit should be extendsim.lic.)

3. In the window that appears, click the Edit License File button.

4. In the license file field, change 5053 (the default port number) to a different number. Note that the new port must be unblocked inbound and outbound for both the License Server and the Client devices.

When the License Manager was activated, a random port was assigned as the ISV Server port. If that port is blocked you can either unblock it or use a different unblocked port as the ISV Server port. To use a different port, you must use the RLSA window to edit your existing extendsim.lic file:

This message indicates that the ISV Server port is blocked. An unblocked ISV Server port is required for internal communications between the License Manager and the extendsim daemon. The default ISV Server port is shown in the table when you click the Status command in the RLSA window. Either unblock the port listed in that table or change the port as discussed in Changing the port for the ISV Server.

Not directly. Before you try to move the License Manager, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 1.408.365.0305. We will revoke the current license so you can activate on the new Server. Then uninstall the License Manager from the original server as instructed in Installing & Activating • Floating Licenses.

DO NOT use the installer named ExtendSimServerLicenseManager unless instructed below.

The Floating license of ExtendSim uses the Reprise License Manager (RLM.exe). If RLM is already running on the Server where you want to install the License Manager for an ExtendSim license, there are two options:

Case 1 • If the currently running version of RLM is release 12 or greater, use Case 1, below, to add ExtendSim files to the existing installation.

Case 2 • If the currently running version of RLM is earlier than release 12, use Case 2, below, to stop and remove the existing Service and instead use the RLM.exe that ships with ExtendSim.

Both cases accommodate the products that are already using RLM as their license manager.

CASE 1: IF THE CURRENTLY RUNNING VERSION OF RLM IS RELEASE 12 OR GREATER:

By default the installer creates a folder named ExtendSimFloatingLicenseServer that is placed at the root of the Server’s C drive (C:/ExtendSimFloatingLicenseServer). The folder contains the RLM Svc folder and three files: extendsim.set, logfile, and RLM.exe.

After installation, the License Manager (RLM.exe) will silently run in the background as a Service named ExtendSimLicServer.

Before proceeding, we suggest you verify that ExtendSimLicServer is running as a Service.

Copy the all the settings and license files (but not RLM.exe) from the previous RLM server folder to the ExtendSimFloatingLicenseServer folder, which by default will be located at the root of the C drive.

Keep them both! In fact, you will need both during the transition period while you convert your files from 9 to 10. The transition period should not exceed six (6) months. Deployment of the software after that period shall not exceed the licensed quantity of concurrent users of ExtendSim 10.

If you do a manual activation, no connection to the internet is requested for either the Server or ExtendSim on Client devices.

Even if you do an automatic activation, it is only a one-time web-based exchange of Server and license information to activate the Server’s license.

Subsequent to installation and activation, the Client only connects to the License Manager on your Server, and the Server internally validates the License File and receives license requests from Client devices.

Public Training Course Refund Policy

In order to maximize the effectiveness of our training classes, Imagine That Inc. limits the number of attendees per class. Registrants who have been confirmed for a specific training class may reschedule or cancel their class:

Up to 14 days before the course starts

Full refund

One to 13 days before course starts

$500 cancellation fee

No show or no advance cancellation

No refund

Imagine That Inc. reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any training class upon a fourteen (14) day notice to all confirmed registrants. Registrants may then reschedule into an upcoming training class or cancel the registration without penalty. The client understands and agrees that Imagine That Inc. shall not, in any way, be held responsible for any cost, including airfare, transportation cost, hotel expenses or other cost that the client may suffer in the event that Imagine That Inc. cancels or reschedules a class.

On-Site Training Refund Policy

When an on-site training class has been booked, the dates reserved have been set aside exclusively for you so that time period is unavailable to others who might want training. Travel and other arrangements for the course trainer are also made at the time the training is booked. Thus, our Refund Policy for on-site training different than for the Public Training:

Notify Imagine That Inc. of cancellation at least 21 days before the scheduled start of the course. This ONLY applies if the training was to be held within the contiguous United States. (For training in Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries outside of the USA, the full refund only applies if you cancel at least 30 days before the scheduled start of the course.)

Full refund (or no charge, as applicable)

Notify Imagine That Inc. of cancellation between 20 and 2 days before the scheduled start of the course. This ONLY applies if the training was to be held within the contiguous United States. (For training in Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries outside of the USA, the partial refund only applies if you cancel at least 5 days before the scheduled start of the course.) The partial refund (or partial charge, as applicable) consists of:

No refund on instructor expenses. We will do our best to recover instructor expenses from vendors (airlines, hotel, etc) and will refund or credit you for any expenses we recover. But there is no guarantee that any of the instructor's expenses will be recoverable.

A $500 cancellation fee if the course was to be held within the contiguous United States; $1,000 cancellation fee otherwise.

Partial refund (or you will incur a partial charge, as applicable)

Unless you provide at least a 2 day advance notice of cancellation AND the training is within the contiguous United States, there is no refund on quoted charges for the training. (For training in Alaska, Hawaii, and all countries outside of the USA, there is no refund - or you will be charged, as applicable - unless you notify us of cancellation at least 5 days in advance of the training.)

Multiple times throughout the year, beginning through advanced public training sessions are held in various locations around the world.

If you anticipate sending 3 or more employees to a public training course, you may want to consider on-site training. Courses can be scheduled at your convenience and in your facilities (anywhere in the world) as a privately held on-site training. We will send one of our authorized expert instructors to your site (with student laptops) for an intensive, hands-on, training. Plus, with on-site courses, there is the option to tailor the training to your environment and situation-specific needs.

In other simulation tools, the items (also referred to as entities or transactions) are put on the event calendar (scheduled for future consideration when a time delay is encountered). In ExtendSim, the blocks have an entry on the event calendar. Some blocks contain their own event calendars with an entry for each item in the block.

Scheduling the blocks rather than the items has a number of advantages:

Because there are typically fewer event scheduling blocks in the model than there are items to be scheduled and the number of event scheduling blocks in a model does not change, the ExtendSim event calendar is relatively small. This eliminates the need for time consuming insertion and deletion of events on the calendar. This is particularly important in large model where searching the event calendar for the next event can be a large portion of the execution time.

It is very easy to change the event time. Because the block’s event time is stored in a fixed location, the future event time for the block can be changed with a simple assignment.

Items are not necessary for an event. A block can schedule an event without needing to create (and then dispose of) an item.

Any block in the model can schedule an event. This makes it particularly easy to build modeling components which simulate system features such as preemption and reneging. These types of features normally require internal or dummy items in other simulation tools.

ExtendSim uses both a push and pull mechanism to propel items through a model. Residence blocks (residence blocks are any block that can hold an item for a non-zero amount of time, such as queues, activities, resource blocks, and some decision blocks) attempt to pull items in until it is full or until there are no more items to pull in. Then the residence blocks will try to push items out until there are no items left or the downstream path is blocked. In some cases, the residence block will hold the item for a specific time delay before attempting to push the item out.

In ExtendSim 10, ARM records utilization and quantity utilization because it is now possible for a record in the [Resources] database table to represent a quantity of resources other than 1. In v9.3 and earlier versions of ExtendSim, each record in the [Resources] table represented exactly one resource. In the new version of ARM, a record in the [Resources] table now has an explicitly defined quantity field. The quantity can be any non-zero real or integer number. When any portion of the quantity of a resource record is BUSY, ARM tracks the resource record as being utilized. This utilization is recorded in the Utilization field. The Quantity Utilization is a measure of how much of the available quantity for the resource record has been utilized during the simulation run.‬‬ ‪

For example, a resource record has a quantity of 10. During the entire simulation run, a quantity of only 1 is continuously utilized. The Utilization for this resource record would be reported as 100%, but the quantity utilization would be reported as 10%.‬‬

Showing simultaneous movement requires the use of a Transport and/or Convey Item block from the Item library (included in ExtendSim DE and ExtendSim Pro). To animate the simultaneous movement of items through a model, follow these steps:

1. Place a Transport or Convey Item block at the point in the model where you want a transit time. A transit time is required to show simultaneous movement, otherwise the movement would have no duration.

2. Open the block's dialog. On the Transport Animation tab of the Transport and/or Convey Item block, check the "2D animation shows simultaneous movement" option. Tip: Use the Find and Replace block from the Utilities library to change all of the blocks at once.

3. Select "in a straight line" or "along connections" for the movement.

Connect a Switch block from the Utilities library to the "Q" (Item Quantity) input connector on the Create block (Item library). If the Switch is On, a quantity of 1 is sent to the Create block and an item is created. When the Switch is Off, a quantity of 0 is sent to the Create block and no item is created.

The item will wait in the last upstream residence block until the Activity block (Item library) can receive it. Residence blocks are any block that can hold an item for a non-zero amount of time. Examples include queues, activities, resource blocks, and some decision blocks. If the last residence block is a generator type block, the item will be held until a new item is created or the activity pulls the item. This is the only time that an item will be destroyed if there is downstream capacity.

In a discrete event model, you can control the order that time ties (two or more events occurring at the same time) are processed. ExtendSim will put the blocks on the event calendar in simulation order. Blocks with a lower simulation order will receive their event message first. You can change the simulation order with the following steps:

1. Are there any caveats to how I can use the RunSimulation, PauseSim, and ResumeSimulation functions?

These functions are not recommended for use via OLE automation or DDE Execute messages at all. These functions were developed before the External Scripting functionality was fully developed, and they do not work as well in this context as the ExecuteMenuCommand function. This function acts exactly as if you have selected the specified command from the menu bar and will perform better with the external control methods. The ExecuteMenuCommand function takes one argument, the command number. These numbers are defined in the Technical Reference.

2. Should I use a different modeling technique if I am running a simulation that basically finishes instantly versus running a simulation that will run for longer and want to control interactively?

There is a difference in how you should set up your code in these two cases.

If the simulation is going to complete instantly and/or you are not interested in sending other commands to ExtendSim while the simulation is running, you can just send the executeMenuCommand(6000) to ExtendSim without a worry.

If, however, you are interested in running a longer simulation, and you want to be able to pause and resume it or get data while the simulation is running, you should use the IPCServerAsync(TRUE); function. This function specifies to ExtendSim that the following Execute control action should execute asynchronously, not synchronously. A synchronously executed instruction will execute immediately and the application that sent the command will wait for the instruction to complete before it continues its execution. An async command, on the other hand, will return immediately allowing the application to continue on with other things while the simulation runs. The sequence of instructions you should execute in this case would be as follows:

a. IPCServerAsync(TRUE);

b. ExecuteMenuCommand(6000);

c. IPCServerAsync(FALSE);

These should be sent as three different execute messages. It is important to send the final IPCServerAsync(FALSE) and not to send any other Async messages while the simulation is running, as ExtendSim doesn't allow multiple asynchronous messages to be processed simultaneously.

If you add new dialog items or static variables to your custom block, they will need to be initialized. The easiest way to do this is in the openModel message handler. This is called whenever a model is loaded. If you delete or change the dimensions of dialog items or static variables, the data in the existing blocks may not match up correctly with the data in the existing blocks. To avoid this, delete the existing blocks and re-add them to the model. You can also use the "hide" feature to hide the dialog item. You should do this if your blocks are being used in models where it would be inconvenient to replace each instance of the block.

...I would like to use the Interchange block (from the Rate library in ExtendSim Pro) to represent the berth. Vessels would come to either load or unload. Can I use just one Interchange block to both load and unload?

Yes. In fact, there are three different ways to model a berth that is used both for loading and unloading:

Solution 1 - One Interchange block simulates the ships at berth and the berth itself.

Solution 2 - One Interchange block simulates the ship loading or unloading and Tanks and Valve simulate the loading and unloading of product to and from the berth.

Solution 3 - One Interchange block is used for unloading and one Interchange block for loading.

All three solutions are illustrated within this freely downloadable model that illustrates how to load and unload at the same physical location.

Note: This model was built in ExtendSim 9 so can be viewed in either ExtendSim 9 or 10.

Before quoting any documentation from the ExtendSim documentation, blocks, Help, or the Imagine That Inc. web site, you must get prior written permission from Imagine That Inc. Once permission is granted, please include this statement:

If you build custom blocks based on ExtendSim blocks, hence using copyrighted information from certain libraries in the ExtendSim products, your right to sell, give, or otherwise distribute the blocks you have developed is restricted. In that case, your blocks may only be sold, given away, or distributed to a recipient who has the same ExtendSim package that you used to develop your blocks. For more information, see the copyright notices at the front of the ExtendSim User Reference.

In most cases, you can just provide your models and custom libraries to the end user. However, if your model uses blocks from the Discrete Event, Discrete Rate, or Reliability libraries, or your custom libraries have been derived from ExtendSim libraries in the ExtendSim DE, or ExtendSim Pro products; the end user must also have the comparable ExtendSim product. If the model you are sharing contains custom-built blocks, please see Delivering Custom Files to an End User below.

If the end user does not own ExtendSim:

The Analysis RunTime license is the perfect solution for end users who do not have an MDE version of ExtendSim. The Analysis RunTime license is a cost-effective way to access advanced ExtendSim functionality, without having to purchase a development version of ExtendSim.

As the developer, it is your responsibility to supply the end user with the necessary files and sufficient information to install those files. Use this as a guide to ensure the end user has all the necessary components to view and run your model:

Your ExtendSim models. If you wish to prevent blocks being added, deleted, or moved in your models, give the Model > Protect Model command and use a password.

Any custom libraries the model/s require.

If you do not want the end user to be able to build models with your custom library, convert the library to RunTime format. For those using the Analysis RunTime or Player RunTime license, this is mandatory as your custom library MUST be in RunTime format so the end user can run models using that library.

If you want the end user to be able to use your libraries to build models and they're using a full Model Developer Edition of the software, you must also send them copies of your libraries that are NOT RunTime formatted.

To prevent access to the source code, you can use the Library > Library Tools > Protect Library command; this removes the source code from all the blocks in the library.

Libraries that are in RunTime format are protected in that block source code is stripped from each block making your custom source code inaccessible to the end user.

Model Developer Editions of ExtendSim cannot fully use libraries that have been converted to RunTime format. (MDE users can open a model that uses RunTime formatted libraries, but the end user will only be able to run the model, not make changes.)

To convert your custom libraries to RunTime format (Note: RunTime versions of ExtendSim ship with RunTime versions of all ExtendSim libraries so you will only need to convert any custom libraries you might build.):

Select the library for conversion. ExtendSim will make a copy of the library, convert it to RunTime format, and save it in the same location as the original library.

Libraries converted to RunTime format keep the same name as the original, but add the extension .lbrrt.

Since the library name is the same, models opened by the Analysis RunTime, Player RunTime, Student, and Model Developer Edition of ExtendSim will recognize the reformatted libraries as if they were the originals. (Note, however, that the full version of ExtendSim will not allow the end user to build models with RunTime formatted libraries.)

The ExtendSim installer includes DLLs that need to be registered in the Windows Registry during installation. These error messages indicate that the Windows operating system or your security system is blocking the ExtendSim installer from registering the DLLs.

Right-click the ExtendSim installer and select Run as Administrator. Or contact your IT or Admin and have them install ExtendSim to your user account with the correct Admin permissions (once that happens, it won’t be required again).

The installer for ExtendSim installs DLLs that need to be registered in the Windows Registry during installation. Some security systems could therefore incorrectly identify ExtendSim as potential malware and stop it from launching, even though ExtendSim is digitally signed. To overcome this, try temporarily disabling your virus protection software while installing ExtendSim.

The installer for the License Manager not only creates the Service but tries to start it running automatically. Security systems will sometimes block the service from starting.

For automatic activation of the License Manager, encrypted data must be exchanged through port 80 over the internet. Security systems sometimes block that communication, so you must do a manual activation.

The ISV port must be unblocked or you will get a Connection refused at Server message when you launch ExtendSim.

The Floating License of ExtendSim is typically installed in an environment where the Client device is used by only one person. This works well for academic institutions where students and professors install ExtendSim on their own computers (the Clients), such that it can be used on the network or checked out (roaming) for up to 30 days.

However, if ExtendSim is installed in a lab environment where multiple people log in to use the same computer, the user-modifiable files (example models, libraries, etc.) must be installed to a location that all the students can access. To do that:

As you install on each multi-user computer, when you get to the installer’s Installing User Documents section, select a location on the target machine that the students will have read/write access to. For example, you might select "C:\" as the Destination Folder when you are at the Installing User Documents section. This will install user-modifiable files at the root of the C drive.

When you activate ExtendSim, copy the license file (extendsim.lic) to the folder selected in the User Documents section of the installer. In the example, this would be C:\ExtendSim10

Give the Users group full (not just read/write) access to the folder that has the user-modifiable files.

Note: at the end of their sessions, students should save their models (.mox) files to locations where other users won't interfere with and/or copy their work. However, they should use a local copy while doing work. Models will run slowly if they reside on an external drive or in the cloud.

In addition to any installed virus protection apps, Windows 10 installs with a Windows Defender Security Center that has virus, threat, account, firewall, and network protection. So even if you have temporarily disabled your virus protection app, the Security Center could be blocking the installation or launching of ExtendSim. You may need to change the settings or set the ExtendSim installer to be excluded in the Windows Defender Security Center. Be especially aware of those settings if you are attempting to install ExtendSim on virtual machines using Windows 10.

Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a Windows security feature that can help prevent damage to your computer from viruses and other security threats. It does this by stopping the execution of potentially malicious code from the DATA segments of memory.

The ExtendSim application has an integrated compiler, so it creates and executes compiled code from the DATA segments of memory when it runs. Depending on how it is set, DEP can interpret this as malicious data, rather than legitimate code, and stop ExtendSim from properly launching (by giving an Unknown msg error) or prevent it from accepting a block in a new model (by giving an Unknown block message).

To access DEP:

Go to the System & Security or Maintenance in Windows Settings

Click System, then go to Advanced System Settings

Under Performance, click the Settings button and select the Data Execution Prevention tab.

Since many legitimate applications execute code in the DATA segments of memory, Windows has two methods for allowing applications to be exempt from DEP restrictions:

The default setting for DEP is "Turn on DEP for essential Windows Programs only." If DEP is in this mode, ExtendSim will run properly.

The higher security setting for DEP is "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select." If DEP is in this mode, it will interpret ExtendSim as being a potential threat and prevent ExtendSim from properly running unless ExtendSim is added to the list of exempted programs. To add ExtendSim to the list of programs that allow Data Execution, find the DEP dialog and add ExtendSim.

By default, ExtendSim opens the Getting Started model when it launches. That model uses the RightClickConnect database, which calls the ExtendSim_DB_Connector DLL. The installer for ExtendSim needs to register that DLL in the Windows Registry during installation. The error message indicates that your system has blocked the ExtendSim installer from registering the DLL.

Right-click the ExtendSim application and select Run as Administrator. Or contact your IT or Admin and have them launch ExtendSim (in your user account) with the correct Admin permissions (once that happens, it won’t be required again).

If that doesn’t fix the problem, install ExtendSim again with your virus protection software temporarily disabled.

When ExtendSim launches it requires the loading of certain files and it expects that those files have been installed at specific locations. If needed files don’t have the correct permissions, or if ExtendSim can’t find the files, ExtendSim will not launch properly. End users must have physical (correct account) and permitted (read/write or full) access to the ExtendSim folder that contains user-modifiable files such as example models and libraries. In addition, so that ExtendSim will know where those needed files are located, the installer places a text file (ExtendSimDocPath.txt) in the Program Files/ExtendSim folder.

The most common reasons why user-modifiable and other necessary files were not correctly installed are:

Someone from IT or an Admin installed the user-modifiable files in a folder under their account rather than in a folder accessible by the end user.

The folder containing user-modifiable files does not give the end user or ExtendSim the correct permissions.

The folder that contains user-modifiable files has been moved after installation, so ExtendSim is looking for files at the wrong location.

If ExtendSim issues error messages such as “Documents folder not found” or “lp_solve[0] Error…system error code:2” as it tries to launch or gives a similar error message when end users try to open model or library files:

Verify that user-modifiable files such as examples and libraries are installed in a folder that is accessible by the end user (by default, the UserName/Documents/ExtendSim10 folder).

Check the folder permissions where user-modifiable files and extensions are installed. End users need read/write or full access to that folder, depending on its location, so they can open, run, and save models.

So ExtendSim can properly open needed files, right-click its icon and select Run as Administrator as you launch it.

If the user-modifiable files were moved after installation, modify the file ExtendSimDocPath.txt (located by default at Program Files/ExtendSim10) to indicate the new location.

In an ActiveX/COM client/server process, if a Client app tries to launch ExtendSim as a Server, you might get the error message Run-time error 429: ActiveX component can’t create object. This occurs when the operating system restricts ExtendSim from registering as an OLE/COM server.

For ExtendSim to be able to interface with Excel and other apps, launch ExtendSim with Administrative privileges so that it can complete the process of registering itself as an OLE/COM server. To do that, either right-click the ExtendSim application and select Run as Administrator. Or contact your IT or Admin and have them launch ExtendSim in your user account with the correct Admin permissions (once that happens, it won’t be required again).

After you have activated ExtendSim, the Activation Dialog should not appear again spontaneously. If it does appear, it could indicate that:

The license file (extendsim.lic) has been placed at the wrong location or has been deleted. Verify that the license file is in the ExtendSim folder that contains the user-modifiable files (libraries and example models); by default, that folder is UserName/Documents/ExtendSim10.

There is more than one installation of the same ExtendSim product on your device. For example, you may have downloaded a Trial version to use as the updater for an existing installation. To properly update the existing files, the Trial version must be installed using the exact same folder name and to the same location as the current installation. If that didn't happen, there will be two installations of the same ExtendSim product. The solution is to uninstall the Trial version and reinstall it over the existing installation so that it updates the ExtendSim 10 files.

In certain unusual cases, standard C runtime libraries that ExtendSim expects to find may be missing from your Windows operating system. In that case you will get the error message api-ms-crt-runtime dll is missing from the computer when you try to launch ExtendSim. In this case you need to update your Windows operating system with the Universal C Runtime (CRT) component. See Microsoft support for information.

If you have multiple ExtendSim licenses on your computer (for example a Model Developer Edition and an Analysis RunTime version), it is generally better to open the ExtendSim license you want to use first, then open the model. If you double-click on a model file, it will open the last ExtendSim license installed.

If the proper version of Excel is not installed on your computer, you will see the error OLE CreateObject Not Successful when you try to access an Excel spreadsheet from within ExtendSim. Possible causes of receiving this error are:

Excel is not installed on your computer.

Excel is installed on your computer, but the installation is damaged. In this case you will need to reinstall Excel.

A click-to-run version of Excel is installed on your computer. This version does not support communication between outside applications such as ExtendSim and Excel. You will need to uninstall your click-to-run version of Excel and install a full version of Excel. Instructions for this can be found at support.microsoft.com/kb/982431.

The error Run-time error 429: ActiveX component can't create object might occur if you try to launch ExtendSim (as a server) from an outside application (as the client) in an ActiveX/COM client/server process. In order to interface with Excel or other outside applications using ActiveX/COM, ExtendSim must be registered as an OLE/COM server. Many companies restrict an employee's application permissions to the most basic. To register ExtendSim as an OLE/COM server, you must launch ExtendSim one time with Administrator permissions. To do this, right click on the ExtendSim.exe file and select Run as: Administrator (you'll probably need a password from your IT department).

Because ExtendSim has its own compiler, it executes compiled code. Windows can interpret this code as data, rather than code, that is executing. The default setting for Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is Turn on DEP for essential Windows Programs only. Some Windows installations don't use the default; this causes a problem for ExtendSim. In certain cases, ExtendSim will crash upon launch and return the error message Unknown msg Unknown block. To correct this problem, see the FAQ Specific issues to be aware of • Data Execution Prevention (DEP) under the Issues when Installing, Launching, or Opening Files category.

If each time you click a Help button in a block dialog you get the same Help content regardless of which block you are in, you might be encountering an issue with cached information not getting updated properly. To resolve this:

Navigate to the AppData folder at c:\Users\username\AppData\Local\QTProject\Assistant.

Delete the entire Assistant folder that contains cached information.

Relaunch ExtendSim. The Assistant folder will be recreated in AppData as an empty folder. At this point, your Help system should be working better.

There are two reasons why ExtendSim would be installed on a device, but the ExtendSim application does not appear in Settings > Apps >Apps and Features:

If ExtendSim was installed to the end user's account by an Administrator. In that case, the End User can launch ExtendSim (usually from the list of apps in the Start menu) and use it as normal. However, they will not be able to uninstall ExtendSim. The app will appear in Apps and Features when the Admin logs in, so the Admin can uninstall it.

If ExtendSim was uninstalled while the application is open. In that case, ExtendSim will not launch correctly, but will instead give an error message about missing documents. Also, the two folders that contain ExtendSim files will have some files missing (the ones that weren't in use when the app was uninstalled). Since the app has been "uninstalled", just delete the two folders: Documents/ExtendSim and Program Files/ExtendSim.

Compile Time -- If you are compiling a block in ExtendSim 10, EXTENDSIM_10 is defined by the compiler so can be used in block code with a value of 1. Your block code might be similar to:

#ifdef EXTENDSIM_10 #include "v10 include file.h" and some v10 compatible code; // note that this can use V10 functions that are not defined in V9 as v9 will ignore this #else #include "v9 include file.h" and some v9 compatible code; #endif

Run Time -- Your block could call GetExtendVersion(0), which returns a double of 1000.0 or greater for version 10.xx. Your block code might be similar to:

if (GetExtendVersion(0) >= 1000.0) { do something that v10 needs (must use v9 compatible functions if you need to run this block in v9); } else { do something that v9 needs; }

All ExtendSim versions are upwardly compatible. So ExtendSim 10 will read in models built in ExtendSim 9, 8, and 7. ExtendSim 9 will read in models built in ExtendSim 8, 7, and Extend 6. And so on.

However, ExtendSim is not backwardly compatible. Models and blocks you build in ExtendSim 10 cannot be read by earlier versions, such as ExtendSim 9 or ExtendSim 8. Models and blocks you build in ExtendSim 9 cannot be read by earlier versions, such as ExtendSim 8 or ExtendSim 7.

Your computer has probably been updated to Windows 10. In October 2017 Microsoft began rolling out Windows 10 Fall Creators update, release 1709. As with any update, there were some problems and some unintended consequences. One change was how the Windows memory manager worked, which caused a problem for older installations of ExtendSim such that it could hang up or crash on launch.

If you are using ExtendSim 7.0 to 9.2 released prior to November 16, 2017, get your fix file here.

If you are trying to enter numbers into editable text boxes in a block dialog and nothing appears, the problem could be that your system has been set to use right-to-left text for programs that do not use Unicode. This setting will work for programs that are built to expect to use right-to-left text, but not for programs that are not set to expect this.

You may need to change your system locale. The system locale determines the default character set (letters, symbols, and numbers) and font that you use to enter information and that are used to display information in programs that do not use Unicode. Selecting a different language for the system locale will not affect the language in menus and dialog boxes for Windows or other programs that do use Unicode. Try changing the default locale to English (United States) and check to see if this helps.

If you receive an error message on your client installation when trying to check a license out of your ExtendSim 9 network license it is probably the result of not having sufficient permissions on your client machine to checkout the license. The checkout process requires some administrative rights on the client machine and many companies are restricting these rights from users.

Try using the right-click command Run as administrator. If this doesn't work, then you may not have been granted sufficient permissions by your company on the machine to check out a license.